Corset



(No Model.) I

H. M. A. THOMPSON.

. DORSET.

No. 564,414. Patented July 2-1, 1896.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

HELEN M. A. THOMPSON, OF GLOVERSVILLE,NEl/V YORK.

CORSET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 564,414, dated July 21, 1896.

Application filed September 21, 1895. Serial No. 563,173. (No model.)

[0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, HELEN M. A. THOMP- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gloversville, county of Fulton, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corsets, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to such improvements; and it consists of the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and subsequently claimed.

Reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, and the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification, similar letters referring to similar parts in both figures therein.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a View in side elevation of my improved corset in position for use. Fig. 2 is a similar View in front elevation.

The separate side parts A and A of the corset are each provided with a pair of elastic gore pieces B and B, extending from the bottom of the corset to the waistband B The parts are also provided with the usual steels or whalebones 0, contained in Vertical pockets C. One of the pockets is broken away in part to show the inclosed steel. A steel or stiffening-rib C is also inserted at the sides between the elastic gores B and B, whereby it is possible by bending the stiffening-rib to materially change the shape and form of the hip portion of the corset.

By extending the elastic gore-pieces from the bottom of the corset to the inelastic Waist portion, and securin g the stiffener to the gores to support the same throughout its length below such waist portion, a change in form iniparted to the rib or stiffener by bending will be retained by reason of the elasticity of the gores, while the change in form from the stiffener-supported hip portions to the inelastic tight-fitting portions of the corset will be gradual, and not render the position of the stiffener conspicuous. The stiffener can thus, by reason of the elasticity of the gores, be so formed as to engage the body at certain parts and be held away from the body at other parts to give the desired shape without being conspicuous, and irrespective of the position of the remaining inelastic portions of the corset below the waist portion.

By bending the rib so as to diminish its radius of normal curvature its lower end bearing upon the hip of the wearer will raise and sustain the upper hip portions of the rib and corset above and free from the hip, the oppositelylocated elastic gores yielding sufficiently to permit of such adjustment, as shown by dotted line A By bending the rib in the opposite direction the upper hip portion of the corset will be supported by the upper part of the hip and the lower edge will stand out free from the hip, as shown by dotted line A I am thus able to materially change at will the form and shape of the corset and correspondingly change the apparent form of the wearer.

By the use of a pair of elastic hip-gores,

such as I have described, one on each side part of the corset extending from the lower edge of the corset to the waistband, the wearer of the corset is free to bend over or stoop to any position Without strain or pressure about the abdomen and without breaking the front steels or whalebones, and at the same time the bust portion of the corset above the waistband remains comparatively unyielding and firm.

. I am aware that elastic bands, one in each side part, extending from the arm at the top to the hip at the bottom, have been heretofore employed in corsets, and I do not broadly claim the same.

In my improved corset the elastic gores are triangular in shape and extend to the waistband only, with the apex of the triangular gore adjacent to the waistband.

The lower or hip portion of the corset is elastic and yielding and readily accommodates itself to the various body movements of the wearer, while the upper or bust portion of the corset retains its form and shape in every position of the body and firmly supports and maintains the form.

\Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isv A corset having an inelastic waist portion, a pair of elastic gore-pieces in each of the opposite edges of. the hip portion extending from the bottom edge to the inelastic Waist portion, and a resilient stiffener extending through the hip portion along the dividing line between each pair of elastic gore-pieces and secured to such gore-pieces to support the same, throughout its length from the bottom edge to the inelastic Waist, whereby the shape of the hip portions of the corset can be varied by bending the stiffener, and the change in to form from the stiflenersupported elastic portions to the inelastic, tight-fitting portions of the corset will be gradual and not render the stiffener conspicuous.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of September, 1895.

HELEN M. A, THOMPSON. Vitnesses JOHN R. THOMPSON, RALPH YEo. 

